5.1 from Digital Optical

[DerSchniffles]

So im getting back into pc gaming (I cant believe I left) and I now have my computer on my 42" tv and hooked up to my surround sound. Im rockin the trusty onboard sound haha and have a digital optical running from my sound to the reciever. Problem is, I cant get anything to work with Dolby Digital or DTS. It just sits in Pro Logic II. I can get DTS from VLC by telling it to use the correct sound output but in my games I can never get anything. I must be doing something wrong....

[apophis]

that's because there is no Dolby Digital or DTS in pc games

[DerSchniffles]

Well that would be a good reason then. Man, I have never even thought of that, I guess I have never seen a Dolby Digital Logo or anything on PC games. So PC gamers are stuck with ProLogicII if they hook up their systems to their recievers? Or is there a better way im missing here?

edit: I want 5.1 out of my 5.1, is there a way to do that? That isnt ProLogic?

[apophis]

i think the only way is using analog input

i could be wrong

[Mufflore]

Some sound solutions support DD/DTS compression to get 5.1 sounds down SPDIF.
Unfortunately your doesnt.
If you want to use SPDIF for 5.1 you will need a soundcard that supports DD/DTS encoding otherwise you will only get stereo - over SPDIF.
As pointed out, you can use analogue for 5.1 as this doesnt require compression.

But if sound quality is one of your concerns, you should get a good analogue soundcard and use analogue direct to the amp from the card.
There are pros and cons, I wont go into them until I know what you want.
Does your amp have HDMI in?

[DerSchniffles]

No its one of those crappy Home theater in a box setups. The reciever only has component, digital optical and digital coaxial (1 of each)(and hdmi out of course).

I dont need amazing sound as I clearly dont have the equipment necessary for such things, but I would like to actually get full use of the 5.1 I already have.

So it looks like I will be getting a sound card lol. Which one do I need and for what kind of connection?


Thanks for the help.

[DerSchniffles]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829132013

So this is basically what I need correct?

[Mufflore]

Yes, that will do fine using coax.
With a normal analogue stereo lead, one of the RCA connectors will carry the digital signal when the 3.5mm jack is in the right socket on the soundcard.

I cant see a price so dont know if its good value.

[ESlik]

Originally Posted by Mufflore

Yes, that will do fine using coax.
With a normal analogue stereo lead, one of the RCA connectors will carry the digital signal when the 3.5mm jack is in the right socket on the soundcard.

I cant see a price so dont know if its good value.

$41.99 At the bottom left of pic. I think it's a good value for a 7.1 card.

[Mufflore]

Lookin good.

[DerSchniffles]

Okay, thanks guys. Im assuming this is the only way to do this without spending a bunch of money. The soundcard I posted a link too has software decoding on it (DTS connect and DTS interactive for gaming which is what I want).

What about using the coax instead of the optical? Probably the same results huh? I also happen to have a coax to optical converter laying around if that will help this case. I know im spitballin here guys so just work with me haha.

I need a Vid card first before I get too crazy with everything else This onboard video isnt too bad but is a far cry from what I want.

[Mufflore]

Originally Posted by DerSchniffles

Okay, thanks guys. Im assuming this is the only way to do this without spending a bunch of money.

Options are to use digital or to use a new amp.

What about using the coax instead of the optical? Probably the same results huh? I also happen to have a coax to optical converter laying around if that will help this case. I know im spitballin here guys so just work with me haha.

See post #8
You cant use optical from that card.
Converting to optical is pointless, it will be converted back to an electrical coax signal at the amp.

[DerSchniffles]

Originally Posted by Mufflore

Options are to use digital or to use a new amp.


See post #8
You cant use optical from that card.
Converting to optical is pointless, it will be converted back to an electrical coax signal at the amp.

Okay, thats what I thought. Thanks for all your help good sir!

[givmedew]

IF the AMP supports 5.1 PCM and the computer does as well you could do this.

The problem is that I too could not figure out how to get my ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX to get surround out of the optical cable.

I know for a fact that my Pioneer Elite supports PCM as that is how I have my PS3 set but for some reason I can not figure that out on my computer. I had to use the analog outputs which kinda sucks because my receiver has a 24Bit DAC!

Anyways look for a setting on your sound card software to enable 5.1 PCM if you can let me know because I would like to know what sound card you have.

[Mufflore]

You wont get 5.1 PCM except down HDMI.
SPDIF doesnt have the bandwidth which is why the DDL/DTS etc compressors are used.

DACs in amplifiers are easily bested by PC sound cards.
So analogue may be the best choice for sound quality if you have a nice soundcard.

[givmedew]

Originally Posted by Mufflore

You wont get 5.1 PCM except down HDMI.
SPDIF doesnt have the bandwidth which is why the DDL/DTS etc compressors are used.

DACs in amplifiers are easily bested by PC sound cards.
So analogue may be the best choice for sound quality if you have a nice soundcard.

OHHHHHHHH

I did not know that about the optical I guess that makes sense. Thanks for that.

I can not agree with the DAC part for certain reasons. A DAC allows you to get a near perfect digital signal out of the PC and into the receiver the only thing that keeps it from being perfect is the errors that cable may have added. The DAC is then responsible for turning the digital information into sound. There are different quality DAC but on receivers that cost thousands and not hundreds those DACs individually cost more than the entire sound circuit on a motherboard. Now granted there are some high end cards I have one in my HTPC and it has a Texas Instruments PCM1792A for the fronts it has a 127dB SN Ratio where as the typical PC is below 100dB I think usually more in the high 80s low 90s.

This SN Ratio is a major reason for using a high end DAC and my Yamaha uses a Burr-Brown PCM 1704 for the fronts which has a 120DB SNR.

Those are number that are not disputable and as I am well aware that SOME motherboards do have performance that can come close it is not better and then once you run paper thin coax interconnects past all the cables on your PC and your Receiver you just lost a lot of that SNR.

Nowing now why I couldn't find PCM on my card though I think I am going to try and run HDMI into my receiver for the audio and see if it will work right with DVI going to my monitor.

OH one last thing I forget... for many receivers unless you turn on the DIRECT MODE when you are using analog inputs it just converts it to digital and then back out to analog again therefor using the DAC in your receiver anyways. This is how it handles its signal processing. Therefore if you are running analog from the card you are essentially getting whatever the worse of the 2 DACs are capable of.

[Mufflore]

Originally Posted by givmedew

I can not agree with the DAC part for certain reasons. A DAC allows you to get a near perfect digital signal out of the PC and into the receiver the only thing that keeps it from being perfect is the errors that cable may have added.

What you deem to be near perfect isnt what everyone else does.
The quality of the rest of your kit and how it is set up will play a large part in what you can/cannot hear, as well as your own hearing and perception.

The DAC is then responsible for turning the digital information into sound.

Its partly responsible.

There are different quality DAC but on receivers that cost thousands and not hundreds those DACs individually cost more than the entire sound circuit on a motherboard.

Onboard sound isnt very good quality, it shouldnt be hard to match with an AV amps DAC.
A better comparison is sound cards, they have better DACS and analogue circuits.
I have an Onkyo 875 AV amp, about £1000 on release, its DAC/analogue doesnt sound as good as my Auzentech Preludes DAC/analogue, this cost about £120 on release.

Now granted there are some high end cards I have one in my HTPC and it has a Texas Instruments PCM1792A for the fronts it has a 127dB SN Ratio where as the typical PC is below 100dB I think usually more in the high 80s low 90s.

This SN Ratio is a major reason for using a high end DAC and my Yamaha uses a Burr-Brown PCM 1704 for the fronts which has a 120DB SNR.

There you go, a good soundcard will be better than the DAC in your AV amp.

Those are number that are not disputable and as I am well aware that SOME motherboards do have performance that can come close it is not better and then once you run paper thin coax interconnects past all the cables on your PC and your Receiver you just lost a lot of that SNR.

??

Nowing now why I couldn't find PCM on my card though I think I am going to try and run HDMI into my receiver for the audio and see if it will work right with DVI going to my monitor.

This wont use your soundcard at all (unless it has HDMI connections).
Your soundcard can process PCM full bandwidth using analogue.

OH one last thing I forget... for many receivers unless you turn on the DIRECT MODE when you are using analog inputs it just converts it to digital and then back out to analog again therefor using the DAC in your receiver anyways. This is how it handles its signal processing.

Its quite well known but might be handy for some.

Therefore if you are running analog from the card you are essentially getting whatever the worse of the 2 DACs are capable of.

Not correct, set it up ike this:

Run analogue to your amp, set your amp to Direct Mode.
You are now using the superior DAC in your soundcard with the cleanest analogue throughput your amp can give.
Use the Signal Processing on the soundcard to set up your speakers, dont use the amps DSP.

[RTS100x5]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829271006

Actually you should get this ASUS as it offers DIGITAL and ANALOG outputs...I know its a bit more $$ but Im a gamer as well ..you might not have a PCI slot for the other card too ,,this needs to be verified

sorry if I didnt catch the entire post ... I have ADD

[RTS100x5]

Originally Posted by givmedew

I had to use the analog outputs which kinda sucks because my receiver has a 24Bit DAC!

Think about that statement.....what does DAC stand for ? just sayin